Merica

AMERICA 

"America's medicine for everything"

"The voice of women"

Please excuse the grammar. This just came right out as is. 

"American Girl""

Puppet strings 
Don't forget girls must wear bling
Get married, have kids, be a good wife they sing 

American girl programmed from birth
By the time you're a woman you will have forgotten your worth.

Messages everywhere around
Make sure you have good hair
Make sure you don't over share your body
Because when your raped they won't care

You asked for it remember that's what they say
Women are seen but rarely heard
When you go for help they won't take your word

We teach girls to shrink themselves for the man
It's time we change that and women take a stand

We teach girls to be sexual beings but we don't teach boys the same
That was never a woman's part only the American man's game

Women belong in the kitchen
Pffft maybe for witchen
But not for the man that sits across from the table bitchen.

Fuck your locker room talk
And your cat calling as we walk

All you got are cheap shots like "this woman's crazy"
Or she sits home all day being lazy

They claim financial fame
Like being a stay at home mom is fun and games
Those comments are shallow and so full of shame

Did what I say offend you.
Oh did I hit a nerve?
It's not so fun when the roles are reversed
Let this be a learning curve

It's time gender roles come to an end
It's time for women to no longer bend

To all the women in my circle
Especially the ones that wear purple 🙌🏻

E.A.S.

TADA "Teens against dating abuse"

This project was done with students from Milaca High School through Pearl Crisis's youth program. Each photo represents stages in teen dating violence. Thank you to those that helped make this project happen. ~Erica Ann 

Domestic violence /child abuse/ sexual abuse awareness project

 Hello my name is Erica Ann and I will thank you in advance for viewing my project. The reason I created all these images in the beginning was to help me heal and deal with some emotions I was feeling because of domestic violence. Back in the early summer of 2013 I was contacted by a client of mine that works for Pearl Crisis Center of Milaca, MN. She had seen a photo I created of my daughter and it hit close to home at the Pearl Crisis center. Long story short the image was then shown to the director of Pearl and after that the Pearl team wanted to meet the artist behind the image "me". So I agreed to come out and meet the team. At the meeting they asked me if I would be willing to be the artist on display for their annual fashion show they do every spring to help raise money for the crisis center. I agreed and my journey began......

Between then and now all these images were created in my studio and in an abandoned building that domestic violence, sexual abuse and child abuse actually took place. The home is shown in these images. All of the people in the images were survivors of some sort of abuse throughout their life or were a witness to abuse that occurred in their home.  (Some are just actors but most have dealt with abuse). All the poetry was written by the very talented Steve Sjoberg. Please also give his page a like on Facebook. If it wasn't for him I couldn't of made these images as powerful as they are with his words. Thank you https://www.facebook.com/SteveSjobergsPoetryPage

In creating these images I will be very honest and say that is was HARD VERY HARD! Every time an image was created I felt a part of their heart and my heart torn from my insides. There was a time I almost wanted to stop doing it. But I didn't and I am glad I didn't because although it was hard I know in my heart that somehow, some way they will help the person without a voice. Some people may see them and never say a word. Why? Because they are afraid, because they live in fear. What I did here was help them and myself and all the other people that have dealt with abuse have a VOICE! 

I am very proud of this project and EXTREMELY proud of the individuals that opened up to me and allowed me to help them heal through my visions. I have found this project to be extremely therapeutic to not only myself but to the survivors that have helped me make this possible.  I would like to send a HUGE thank you to all that helped and I want each and every one of you to know that you are NOT alone and because of this you are STRONGER then you think and I am SOOOOOO proud of you all !

Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

Erica Ann XOXOXOX

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Thank you again for taking the time to view these images. I would also like to mention that I am in the process of creating a book with all these images plus the stories of all the survivors. Once I have it completed I am hoping to have it for sale on Amazon, EBay, and several other sites for purchase! 

Thank you ,

Erica Ann

Thank you Jessica, Shannon, Casey, Nicki, Keira, Kayla, Savanna, Gracee, Trevor, Joy, Ray, Megan, Patrick, Brittney, Trycia,  and the love of my life Steve

Without out all of you I couldn't of made this happen! THANK YOU